I for one, feel like facials are more of a pampering, relaxation indulgence, than they are for any real benefit to the skin on your face looking much better or being healthier and less lined, smoother, or less prone to breakouts or redness. Especially when combined with the fact that the top spas will charge you up to a hundred bucks for a facial, it’s kind of hard to justify this price for something where you are not really getting anything highly therapeutic like microdermabrasion or an acid peel, something that really takes some layers off, reduces age spots, and increases collagen production.
For my money, I’d always rather go for an actual treatment than a facial, but apparently there are some benefits to facials that I’ve been overlooking after I heard them from a dermatologist who really has nothing to gain by claiming there are benefits to facials and they are not just a total waste of money and time. While the benefits of relaxation and the feeling of self pampering are undeniable, as a facial definitely feels good when you’re having one, and many of the products and techniques they use certainly make your skin feel baby soft when done, there are also other benefits that will make you skin glow, and the appearance of your pores smaller.
Most experienced facialists are skilled at extracting blackheads and other pore imperfections, so you definitely may see some smaller, more clear looking pores after a facial, but you do want to make sure you go to someone who is reputable, as the wrong pore extraction can leave you with a hole that won’t close up instead of a clear pore, or it can even get infected and turn into something much worse looking than a blackhead. Not only that, you don’t want someone to be overzealous with your skin and over exfoliate if you have sensitive skin, so make sure you have a good conversation with the facialist before they start about your skin type and any sensitivities you may have.
There are many different kinds of facials these days. Some may even employ newer technologies, like oxygen or light therapy. These to me are more beneficial than just a straight facial where you aren’t really getting anything other than a mask and some thorough cleansing and soothing as well as any necessary extractions. They also may be more expensive though, so if you’re watching your wallet you may want to steer clear of these newer types unless you really want to indulge.
